1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a snow removing machine with a snow removing plate and, more particularly, to a snow removing machine which enables height adjustment of a snow removing plate with a grip portion of its operating handle gripped by an operator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a self-propelled snow removing machine has been used to alleviate snow removing labor. The snow removing machine of this type is propelled by means of crawler belts and operated through an operational handle to cause a rotary snow removing unit and a snow removing plate to remove snow from a road surface. Such a snow removing machine is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. SHO-53-43724. This prior art snow removing machine is shown in FIG. 6 hereof.
In FIG. 6, the snow removing machine 100 has an engine 101 for driving a drive pulley 102 whose drive torque is delivered through a belt 103 to a pulley 104 whose rotation is then transferred through a chain 106 to left and right drive wheels 107,107 (only one shown) by which left and right crawler belts 108,108 (only one shown) are driven.
Driving the left and right crawler belts 108,108 allows the snow removing machine 100 to move forward to cause the snow removing plate 110, mounted to the front portion of the snow removing machine 100, to remove snow 112.
With such a snow removing machine 100, as the engine 101 is located in the vicinity of the snow removing plate 110, the snow removing plate 110 is exerted with a downward force due to the weight of the engine 101. As a result, the snow removing plate 110 is caused to bite into the snow 112 to allow the snow removing plate 110 to efficiently remove the snow 112.
In usual practice, removal of the snow is implemented with the height of the snow removing plate 110 adjusted to conform to irregular surface conditions of the snow 112. For adjusting the height of the snow removing plate 110, it is desirable that the height of a lower end 110b of the snow removing plate 110 can be confirmed by the operator. However, it is difficult for the operator 114 to look at the lower end 110b of the snow removing machine 110 from his standing position. For this reason, the operator 114 operates the height of the snow removing plate 110 so as to conform to the irregular surface of the snow 112 while looking at the upper end 110a of the snow removing plate 110 instead of looking at the lower end 110b of the snow removing plate 110.
However, in the event that the engine 101 having a large weight is mounted to the front portion of the snow removing machine 100 as shown in FIG. 6 in order to provide improved biting capability of the snow removing plate 110, the engine 101 and an upper end 100a of the vehicle body 100 partially protrude beyond a linear line 105 intersecting between the upper end 100a of the snow removing plate 110 and the grip of the operating handle 113. As a result, parts of the engine 101 and the upper end 100a of the vehicle body 100 disturb a view line 116 of the operator 114, making it necessary for the operator 114 to tilt his head 114a to look at the upper end 110a of the snow removing plate 110. Consequently, it is difficult for the operator to concentrate on the operation of the snow removing machine 100, with a resultant deteriorated workability and increased operator""s work load.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a snow removing machine, equipped with a snow removing plate, which has improved workability and enables alleviation of the work load of an operator.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a snow removing machine which comprises a vehicle body, a snow removing plate mounted to a front portion of the vehicle body for removing snow and adjustably moveable upward and downward in height, an operating handle mounted to a rear portion of the body frame and having at rear portions thereof respective grips, a pair of crawler belts each driven by an electric motor mounted to the front portion of the vehicle body via a power transmission mechanism, and a battery mounted on the body frame at a position rearward of the electric motor and the power transmission mechanism to supply electric power to the electric motor, the battery, the electric motor and the power transmission being located below a linear line intersecting between an upper end of the snow removing plate and the grip of the operating handle.
In the thus-arranged snow removing machine, the battery, the electric motor and the power transmission are located below the linear line intersecting between the upper end of the snow removing plate and the grip portion of the operating handle. As a result, it is possible for the battery, the electric motor and the power transmission mechanism to be located below the view line of the operator when the operator is looking at the snow removing plate to thereby avoid an obstacle in the operator""s view line while looking at the upper end of the snow removing plate, allowing the operator to look at the upper end of the snow removing plate while keeping his working posture. As a consequence, it becomes easy for the operator to simply adjust the height of the snow removing plate in dependence on the irregular surface conditions of the road surface or the snow.
Desirably, the snow removing machine further includes a cover for concealing the electric motor, the power transmission mechanism and the battery. The cover also conceals the battery charger and the control unit, which are located rearwardly of the battery. The cover may be located below the aforementioned linear line or above the same. The key point resides in that when the operator looks at the upper end of the snow removing plate, there exists no obstacle to disturb the operator""s view line.
Preferably, the vehicle body includes a pair of left and right drive wheels which serves as the front wheels and a pair of left and right idle wheels which serves as the rear wheels, with respective crawler belts being trained around the respective drive wheels and the idle wheels to allow the aforementioned vehicle body to swing upward or downward about the center of the drive wheel shaft. By locating the center of the electric motor at the position forwardly of the aforementioned drive wheel shaft, the weight of the electric motor is exerted onto the snow removing plate when the vehicle body is caused to swing to lower the snow removing plate, allowing the snow removing plate to readily bite into the snow.